Varicella zoster virus acute retinal necrosis following eye contusion: case report

Virology Journal

Bohdana Kalvodová¹  Zdeněk Kovařík¹  Pavel Kuthan¹  Pavel Diblík¹  Eva Říhová¹  Petra Svozílková¹ 

[1] Department of Ophthalmology, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic

关键词: varicella zoster virus;    corticosteroids;    contusion;    acyclovir;    acute retinal necrosis;   

Others  :  1158142
DOI  :  10.1186/1743-422X-2-77

 received in 2005-06-19, accepted in 2005-08-31,  发布年份 2005

【 摘 要 】

Background

Acute retinal necrosis is a sight-threatening disease caused by the group of herpesviruses. The aim of this paper is to report a case of acute retinal necrosis following ocular trauma in a patient initially treated with vaso-active drugs and corticosteroids for presumed ocular ischemic syndrome.

Case presentation

A 51-years-old otherwise healthy man, who suffered from sudden visual loss in the left eye following contusion, was commenced on vaso-active drugs and systemic corticosteroids for suspected ocular ischemic syndrome with extensive swelling of the optic disc and macular edema. Subsequently, vision in the initially uninvolved right eye decreased. Polymerase chain reaction of vitreous samples and retinal biopsy confirmed varicella zoster virus. Despite intensive treatment with intravenous antiviral medication, the patient became completely blind in both eyes.

Conclusion

Initial treatment of acute, unexplained visual decrease with systemic corticosteroids may lead to visual loss in patients with developing acute retinal necrosis. Ocular trauma could have induced and corticosteroid treatment promoted reactivation of a latent viral infection in our patient.

【 授权许可】

   
2005 Svozílková et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

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